Delhi Aviation Safety System Faces Existential Threat Amid Staff Crisis
India’s civil aviation sector is facing a mounting safety challenge as a parliamentary review warns that personnel shortages within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and air traffic control are undermining the country’s fast-growing airspace management. The report has described the shortfall as an “existential threat” to passenger safety, stressing that urgent reforms are needed to protect millions of fliers.
The review highlights that nearly half of the sanctioned posts in the DGCA remain vacant, leaving the safety regulator severely overstretched at a time when Indian skies are busier than ever. Out of a sanctioned strength of over 1,000 technical and regulatory staff, barely 550 positions are filled. This vacuum, officials observed, is weakening oversight capabilities when the aviation industry is expanding at double digits.
The committee has called for the DGCA to be given full financial and administrative autonomy to help it attract skilled professionals and set salaries that match global benchmarks. According to experts, dependence on ministry-controlled hiring is slowing recruitment and leaving the regulator unable to retain technical talent, a trend that could weaken the safety net for passengers.
Equally troubling is the shortage of air traffic controllers (ATCOs), with fatigue among existing staff flagged as a live risk to flight operations. Officials admitted that exemptions from duty-time limits are routinely deployed, creating a fragile system dependent on human endurance rather than institutional safeguards. Aviation specialists say such overreliance on exhausted controllers could have long-term consequences for both operational safety and mental health of the workforce. The report also pressed for a national fatigue risk management system, coupled with a comprehensive staffing audit, to eliminate the culture of “normalisation of deviance” where unsafe practices are accepted as routine. A senior aviation safety expert noted that without systematic checks, the risk of human error increases dramatically, jeopardising both passenger welfare and India’s global aviation reputation.
Beyond staffing, the committee has urged detailed investigations into every runway incursion and recurring high-risk incidents, emphasising that lessons must translate into concrete operational changes. Recent data on bird strikes and engine failures has reinforced the need for timely corrective measures. Meanwhile, concerns over frequent helicopter accidents in hilly regions have prompted calls for uniform regulations and terrain-specific pilot training. As India positions itself as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets, the pressure to ensure safety and sustainability is only intensifying. Experts warn that without decisive action to empower the regulator and strengthen workforce resilience, the sector risks undermining its own growth story. For citizens, the promise of safe, sustainable, and reliable skies must remain the cornerstone of future aviation policy.
